Just one more shadow than he can take?
by skag trendy
Summary: Tobius’ heart never truly healed, and he’s right there along with Sam. And Dean gets it... He really gets it. Heart broken, strung out Sam. Worried Dean. Pensive Tobius.


**Just one more shadow than he can take?**

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_**Tag for post Hunter of the Shadows Book 1**_

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Don't ask me where we were. We'd been driving for fucking hours.

Some shitty, grimy bar in the middle of nowhere.

We just needed a break from the road, else we'd never have come to this flee fest. Some greasy butch bikers crowded the bar, raucous and raw, shouting and shining on the aging barmaid.

A fight was brewing, and I could sense it. Some stupid, drunken disagreement would turn into an outright brawl, and someone would get hurt.

I could _feel_ it in the way Sam held himself, like he was barely holding on.

Kid was held tighter than a coiled spring of late...

A guitar gently strumming away made me glance up.

Made _everyone _glance up.

Then _his _voice...

"_A love struck Romeo,_

_Sang the streets a serenade..."_

I took in the scene on the stage when the guitar continued the soft melody I recognised from long ago. Behind me, the bar fell silent and my eyebrows slowly rose to the top of my head...

"_Juliet says, hey it's Romeo,_

_You nearly gave me a heart attack._

_He's underneath the window,_

_She's singing, hey la ma boyfriend's back,_

_You shouldn't come around here, singing up a people like that,_

_Anyway,_

_whatcha ya gonna do about it..."_

I'd heard Sire sing in the shower before now, but I'd never heard him sing like this. Never knew he could play a guitar like that.

Never knew he could play _at all._

And chick flick though it was, it was perfect.

"_Juliet,_

_The dice was loaded from the start,_

_And I bet,_

_Then you exploded in my heart..._

_And I forget, _

_I forget,_

_The movie song._

_When ya gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong?_

_Juliet..."_

The audience was still silent, held in rapture by Sire's sensual voice.

I watched Sam out the corner of my eye.

And right then, I noticed just how similar Tobius and Sam really were. The familiar look of loss and anguish, the broken hearts that would never fully heal.

And, maybe, were never meant to.

I guess Sammy was feeling this a little more than me.

Who was I kidding?

A_ lot _more.

Yeah, Jess loved him, no doubt would have become one of us some day, but the fact remained, Sammy blamed himself for her death.

Blamed himself for everything.

"_Come upon different streets,_

_They're both the streets of shame,_

_Both dirty, both mean,_

_Yes, and the dream was just the same,_

_And I dreamed your dream for you, and now your dream is real._

_How can you look at me as if I was just another one of your deals?_

_When you can fall for chains of silver,_

_You can fall for chains of gold,_

_You can fall for pretty strangers,_

_And the promises they hold._

_You promised me everything,_

_You promised me thick and thin,_

_Now you just say 'oh Romeo, yeah, ya know I used to have a scene with him..._

_Juliet..."_

I'd never seen Sire's face so expressive, so moved by the music.

Another one of your deals?

Yeah, that's pretty poignant, huh mom?

"_There's a place for us..._

_When ya gonna realise it was just that the time was wrong..._

_Juliet..."_

I sensed Sam's distress before I knew what he was doing.

"..._I can't do everything, but I'd do anything for you..._

_Can't do anything 'cept be in love with you..._

Then the kid was gone, out into the night, anger and sorrow forging a fiery blaze through his heart.

"_I'll love you 'til I die..."_

I stepped out under a crescent moon, and followed him just for a little while, to make sure he was safe, but turned back once I knew.

I heard The Lost one more time.

Then silence.

In the distance, voice drifting softly through the air vents of the bar, guitar still humming beautifully, Tobius was still murmuring...

"_You an' me, babe._

_How 'bout it?"_

And yeah, I understood.

Sire was still singing his own Lost.

After four hundred years, he still missed her.

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_**Author's notes:**_

_**Just a brief one, to remind us all once again that Tobius' heart never truly healed, and he's right there along with Sam.**_

_**And Dean gets it...**_

_**He **_**really**_** gets it.**_

_**Song: Romeo and Juliet by Dire Straits.**_


End file.
